The way it should be done: But some works of art are being damaged by renovators posing as conservator-restorers, according to three experts.

Artworks, some belonging to the Church, are being permanently damaged by renovators posing as conservators and restorers, with priceless pieces being modified instead of preserved, this newspaper has learned.

Speaking to The Sunday Times of Malta on condition of anonymity, three professional conservator-restorers who work in the public sector expressed concern at the way some artworks are being handled, fearing many are being altered forever.

“Professional conservation-restoration interventions are not straightforward and often require the participation of other professionals. Many renovators are posing as conservator-restorers and alter processional statues in particular and transform them according to their taste,” one said.

The problem, they say, is widespread but going unnoticed. They themselves have identified a number of such cases, mostly involving statues belonging to churches, where those tasked to carry out interventions are chosen by the parish priests.

Yet there is very little they can do about the situation, as very often those responsible draw up plans suggesting they would be following the correct guidelines for conservation-restoration. Then, halfway through the process, the renovators change course and resort to carrying out unnecessary changes to the artworks.

“On several occasions, renovators explained that they had to repaint a statue from scratch because it was discovered that the original was too damaged to be preserved. Some even state that, even though the original was still in good condition, it was still necessary to repaint it because, according to them, the original was not of a high artistic quality.

“Our work involves an element of personal taste, which every artist has every right to follow. But there are also international guidelines to be followed, and this is not happening.

“It is necessary to thoroughly study and better understand the artwork and its history prior to treatment. Artworks can be scientifically analysed – such as with the use of X-rays – without the need to carry out aggressive and damaging interventions.”

The three said they had witnessed renovators carrying out aggressive interventions, such as carving out the back of a statue to learn about its inside, a measure that with the right tools and techniques is not always necessary.

Asked what could be done to ensure this malpractice stops, they insisted the onus is on the authorities and administrators who are entrusted with cultural heritage.

“They should ensure that artworks are treated only by qualified conservator-restorers. Sadly enough, individuals who repeatedly end up renovating rather than conserving works of art are rarely held accountable.

“Conservation and restoration projects should be monitored by technical experts to ensure that no renovation is carried out.”

They also urged the authorities to adopt a system that does not allow amateurs to dictate what interventions artworks need.

Conservation and restoration

Conservation and restoration does not involve drastic modifications. Retouching is only allowed to integrate paint loss without covering and altering the original. Conservation and restoration aim to preserve both the original and historic value of the artwork. Structural modifications of statues and embellishment are not acceptable.

Renovation

Renovation involves drastic interventions. Renovation was once considered the best option for precious artefacts. Paintings were treated with abrasive materials and chemicals. Retouching was not just applied to lost paint but also directly to the original. Some paintings were completely repainted,.

Similarly, statues were abraded and sometimes even the original paint and gilding were totally removed and redone.